What is the FOIA?

 

The FOIA allows the general public including foreign citizens, military and civilian personnel acting as private citizens, to request records electronically or in writing from the Federal Government. Some records are released to the public under the FOIA, and may therefore reflect deletion of some information in accordance with the FOIA's nine statutory exemptions or two law enforcement record exclusions. Currently the law allows 20 working days to process a FOIA request upon receipt of the request in the FOIA office.

 

 

 

 

Who can submit a FOIA request?

 

Members of the public, including foreign citizens, military and civilian personnel acting as private citizens, organizations and businesses, and individual members of the Congress for themselves or constituents, may request records in writing. It is important to remember that the FOIA applies only to federal agencies. It does not create a right of access to records held by Congress, the courts, state or local government agencies, or by private businesses or individuals. Each state has its own public access laws that should by consulted for access to state and local records.

 

 

 

 

How to make a FOIA request?

 

If you want to submit a FOIA inquiry, send a written request to the FOIA office where the record is located, describe the records you want as specifically as possible and let us know how much you're willing to pay. FOIA Costs. The FOIA allows fee charges based on the requester's category. There are three categories: Commercial (pay search, review, and reproduction fees), Educational, non-commercial scientific institution, and news media (pay search and reproduction fees; first 100 pages provided at no cost); Others (pay search and reproduction fees; first two hours search and 100 pages provided at no cost). The FOIA also allows waivers or reductions in fees if disclosing the information is in the public interest.

 

 

 

 

Where to make a FOIA Request?

 

FOIA requests must be in writing, cite the Freedom of Information Act and contain a statement of willingness to pay fees.

 

 

 

 

Send all TN Army

National Guard requests to:

 

Melissa Griffith

Staff Judge Advocate Office

3041 Sidco Dr.

Nashville, TN 37204

Phone Number (615) 313-3085

Fax Number (615) 313-0732

Email

 

 

 

Send all TN Air

National Guard requests to:

 

ANG/FOIA

111 S. George Mason Drive

Bldg 2

Arlington, VA 22204

Fax: (703) 607-3684

The ANG/FOIA Office can be contacted

at (701) 607-5901 between 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST.

 

 

 

Requestors unhappy with the service received by this FOIA Requestor Service Center

can contact the ARNG FOIA Officer, Ms. Jennifer Nikolaisen, at (703) 607-3195 or by email.

 

The FOIA allows anyone to request records electronically or in writing from the Federal Government.

 

 

OPEN RECORDS OR FOIA REQUESTS

 

Posting to this website or submitting an email to tnpao@live.com does not constitute an Open Records or FOIA request.  The email "tnpao@live.com" is an unofficial social media address and is not monitored on a daily basis.  All Open Records or FOIA requests should be forwarded to:

 

Tennessee Military Department

Joint Public Affairs Office

P.O. Box 41502

Nashville, TN 37204-1502

 

Please indicate your type of request on the outside of the envelope.